Pfaff’s still baking up sweetness for the holidays

Sunday

Mar 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Luke Smucker

More than 1,000 pounds of dough has been pulled, mixed and molded at Pfaff Bakery during the Easter Holiday. Owner Julius Richard Pfaff, who regularly works more than 90 hours per week, said this year has been especially busy for himself and his family due to holidays falling closely together on the calendar. “We had Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and graduation is coming right up,” said Pfaff. “It’s made for a hectic schedule this year.” Although ordering boxes for Easter and other holidays begins for the bakery in January, gathering pans and other utensils needed to make the sweet desserts for the Easter holiday happens three weeks in advance. “I haven’t changed the recipes or the product,” said Pfaff. “I like to say the only thing that has changed around here is the wallpaper. The cases are still the same from 1954. So, if people ask for something, I can do special orders, but we don’t have any new things this year.” Pfaff prides his business on not altering their product. With confections like lamb- and rabbit-shaped cakes, bunny-face shaped doughnuts and Charlie Chicken and Billy Bunny glazed sugar cookies — which Pfaff said are best sellers over the holiday — many customers come to their bakery and pick up any where between a couple and a dozen items. Over the years, Pfaff has noticed that people who tend to buy more of their baked goods are from out-of-town and come to Pfaff’s bakery because of the nostalgia. “People who remember us from their childhood often come back and buy a dozen of the Charlie Chicken or Billy Bunny cookies,” said Pfaff. “They often try to pick up as many as they can because it helps them remember their childhood.” Pfaff doesn’t work alone. During busy holidays such as Easter, his family will work on cakes, icing, doughnuts and special orders while keeping up with regular demands of the job. The practice of involving family in the business is something that Pfaff learned from his own father, Julius Pfaff. “When I bought this business from my father, I was somewhat intimidated because I am one of seven kids in our family,” said Pfaff. “I was only 32 years old, dad said, ‘Just do what you’ve been doing. I’ve been watching you and you are asking the right questions. Just don’t change anything and you’ll be fine.’ So I haven’t changed anything and like he said, the business is going fine.” Between Easter and preparing for high school graduations, Pfaff likes to relax in a chair his sister purchased for their dad. Pfaff said the chair has a big rip in it now, but its comfortable. “I sit in it and put my feet up,” he said. “Now that spring is here, it’s always nice to hop on the mower and tool around in the yard — when I want peace, I mow lawns.” If he could offer one piece of advice to customers, it would be to buy and make special orders early. When people come in a few hours before close and hope to get a few dozen cookies, Pfaff said he sometimes has to decline their order. “We close at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Easter is all about people ordering stuff ahead of time,” said Pfaff. “When people come in and ask for four dozen Charlie Chickens on the Saturday before Easter, we close at 3 p.m. and they come in at 1, I don’t want to say ‘no’, but I just can’t make that happen.”